Voltage-regulator for dynamos



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Shet 1.

T.M.PUSEY. v VOLTAGE REGULATOR FOR DYNAMOS- No. 574,217. Patented Dec. 29, 1896.

WITNESSES I I g/g A UORIVEYS.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.) I T. M, PUSEY. VOLTAGE REGULATOR FOR DYNAMOS. No. 574,217. Patented 1390.29, 1896 56 49 Q Y' no 0 I o 1 WITNESSES: mug/a BY WE? I ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES I PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS M. PUSEY, OF KENNET, PENNSYLVANIA.

VOLTAG E-REGULATOR FOR DYNAMOS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 574,217, dated December 29, 1896. Application filed May 22,1896. Serial No. 592,538. (No model.)

To (Z6 whom (It nu/1 (JOILCLFIL:

Be it known that I, THOMAS M. Poem, of

' Kennet Square, in the county of Chester and port 8, extended upward from the base 2.

State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and Improved Voltage-Regulator for Dynamos, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of this invention is to provide a simple mechanism for automatically controlling the voltage of a dynamo or generator, therefore providing a practically-even current or voltage through a circuit leading from the dynamo to lamps or other devices.

I will describe a device embodying my invention and then point out the novel features in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a partial sectional elevation and a partial diagrammatic view of a device embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a section substantially on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a plan view thereof.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a yoke extended upward from a base-plate 2, and suspended from the top bar of this yoke is a hanger 3, comprising two arms having openings at their lower ends, into which the f ulcrum-points 4 of a balanced beam 5 extend. The beam 5 has at its central portion a clownwardly-extended contact-finger 6, which projects into mercury in a metal mercury-cup 7, which is in electrical engagement with a sup- It is to be understood, however, that the parts 6 and 7 may be omitted and the beam 5 in such cases connected by means of a wire 9 with the yoke 1.

One end of the beam 5 is provided with a contact-finger 10, adapted to make electrical connection with an arm 11, extended upward from the base 2. As here shown, the arm 11 has a mercury-cup 12 on its upper end, into which the contact-finger may engage. The opposite end of the beam 5 is provided with a contact-finger 13, adapted to make electrical connection with an arm 14, extended upward from said base 2, and this arm 14 is shown as provided with a mercury-cup 15.

A high-resistance helix 16 is supported on the base 2, and a core 17, depending from the beam 5, extends into this helix, and is designed to be drawn downward thereby to cause the con tact-finger 10 to engage in the mercurycup 12 and close the circuit, as will be hereinafter described. The core 17 is suspended from the beam 5 by means of a standard 18, engaging with a ring 19, of insulating material, such, for instance, as hard rubber, which connects with a ring on the beam. From the helix 16 a wire 20 leads to a binding-post 21 on the base 2, and from this binding-post 21 a main wire 22 extends to one brush of the dynamo or generator 23. From the other brush of this dynamo or generator a wire 24 leads to a binding-post 25, which has a connection 26 with the helix 16. Therefore it will be seen that this helix is in the main circuit of the dynamo or generator. This main circuit also comprises a low-resistance helix 27, designed to operate a core 28, suspended from the beam 5 at the side of its fulcrum opposite that from which the core 17 is suspended. One end of this helix 27 is connected to a binding-post with which a lamp-circuit wire 27 connects, the other lamp-circuit wire 28 being in connection with the wire 22.

From a binding-post 29 on the arm 11 a wire 30 extends through the brushes and commutator of a small motor 31, adapted to operate a rheostat in the field-magnet circuit, as will be hereinafter described. From the wire 30 a shunt-wire 32 extends to one pole of an electromagnet 33, and from the other pole of this electromagnet a wire 34 extends to the binding-post 21. Ooacting with this electromagnet is an armature-lever 35, mounted on a spring 36, which is secured at one end to a suitable base or support. The free end of this armature-lever 35 is provided with a brake-shoe 37, adapted for frictional engagement with a disk 38, mounted on the armature-shaft of the motor 31. The armatureshaft of this motor 31 may have a regulating device, such, for instance, as fan-blades 39. As before stated, the wire 32 connects with one pole of the motor 31. The other pole of said motor has a connection with a binding-post 41 on the arm 14, and from the binding-post 25 a wire 42 extends to a bindingpost 43, connecting with the support 8. If, however, the connection 9 (shown in Fig. 2

be employed instead of the parts 6 and 7, this binding-post 4133 will be mounted on the yoke l.

The armature-shalt of the motor 1:31 has a pinion it meshing with a gear-wheel 4-5, on the shaft of which is a pinion it), n'ieshing with a gear-wheel 47, having on its shalt a pinion 4-8, meshing with a gear-wheel if), on the shalt of which is mounted a drum 50.

The rheostat 51 is located in the circuit 92 24.- by means of the wire ill), connecting with the wire 22 and a wire 20, extended through the lield of the generator 23 and connecting with the wire This rheostat comprises a circular series of contact plates which are connected to one of the main wires in the usual way, and an arm 5'2, enacting with said plates, is mounted on the rotary shalt 53 in a central portion of the rheostat, this arm 52 having electrical connection with the other main wire. (in the shal't 5b is rigidly mounted a douhlegrooved drum Set, around one pen tion of which a cord or flexible connection 55 extends to the drum 50, and around the other port-ion of which is extended a cord 50, connected at its lower end to a weight- 57.

The res lance of the beam 5 may be regulated as desired by means of weights placed in pans 58 5S), suspended from the opposite ends of said beam. To cause the beam 5 to move steadily or to prevent its vibrating, l suspend a plate 60 from the pan 59 and into a vessel (31, containing water or other liquid.

The operation of the device is as follows: As the speed of the dynamo or generator increases beyond a desired point the increased current ilowing through the helix 10 will draw the core 17 down ward, an d consequently rock the beam 5 to engage the contact-finger in the mercury-cup 12, and then the circuit will be closed through the wire 12, the support 8, the mercury-cup and finger, the beam 5, the arm 11, the wire 30, and the electromagnet 323, and from the eleetromagnet 33 the current will llow through the wires ill: 22

' to one pole of the generator or battery. lVhen this electromagnct 53-3 is energized, the armature will be drawn downward and release the shoe 37 from its engagement with the liriction-disk 38, thereby allowing the armatureshaft of the motor 31 to freely rotate with the chain of gearing. \Vhen in this condition. the weight 57 by moving slowly downward will move the rheostz'tt-arm 52 to the proper place of resistance, and thus control or regulate the voltage of thedynamo, and when said voltage has fallen to its proper point or pressure the strength of the helix 1o will of course be diminished and allow the core 17 to move upward and consequently allow the beam 5 to break its connection with the mercury-cup 2, and then of course the spring il will operate the armature to move the shoe 337 into engagement with the friction-disk. 38, thus bringing the armaLure-shaft and gearing to a stop. Should the voltage of the dynamo fall below a desired point, the weights in the pan 58 will draw the beam downward to connect the linger it} with the mercuryeup 15, and the circuit will he closed through. the motor 131 by means of the wires tit) and 3t and the electromagnet At this time the electromagnet :33 will be energized to draw the shoe 237 out of engagementwith thedish t which will allow the current passing through the lield ot' the motor ll to operate the arma titre-shaft ofsaid motor,an .l the rotary motion of this arn'iature-shaft will, through the me dium oi the gearing and the cord 55, rotate the rheostat-arm 52 to the point of necessary resistance, which will allow for an increase oi" voltage in the dynamo.

The helix 27 is made of three or [our turns of the main cond uetor-wire,aml this helix will. draw downward the core 2% as the strength of amperage of the current increases, thus tcuding to raise the voltage of the main dynamo or generator, so as to overcome the increased resistance of the main conductor or wire due to the increased amperage. In this *ay the volt-age at the terminals of the lamps is lcept practically even.

llttvll'lfl, thus described my invention, 1 claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A voltage-regulator i'or dyimmos, comprising a main circuit, a rheostat in a shuntcircuit of the dynamo, a helix also comprised in a shunt-circuit, a balanced beam operated by said helix and serving as a contaet-closer, a rheostat-operating motor, an electricallyeperated brake for the armature of said inn-- tor, and connections between the said arma tu re and the rl1eostat-,lor operatiu g said rhetr stat, substantially as specified.

2. A yoltage-rcgulator 'l'or dyntunos, eo1n prising a rheostat located in a shunt-circuit of a dynamo or generator, a'high-resistance helix in a shunt-circuit, a balanced beam havii'ig contact lingcrs and serving as a part of the circuit, a core suspended [from said beam into the helix, an elcctromagnet energized by a current closed by a movement ol? the beam, a motor also operated by a current closed by a movement oi said beam, a brake for the motor operated in one direction by the electromagnet, a chain of gearing operated. from thearmattu -shai'tofsaid motor, a drum on the shaft of one ol' the gear-wheels, a next ble connection between said drum and a drum on the shaft of the rheostat-arm, and a weight having a llexible connection. with the drum on the shaft ot' the rheostat-arm, substantially as specified.

A voltage-regulator [or dynamos, com prising, in connection with the main current of the dynamo or gei'ierator, a balanced beam carrying eircnit-closers, two helixes, one located in the main circuit and the other lo cated in a shunt-circuit and adapted to operate said beam, means for changing the resistance at the ends of said beam, and a rheostat in a shunt-circuit operating upon the closing of the circuit by said beam, substantially as specified.

at. A voltage-regulator, fora dynamo, comprising in combination with a main circuit and a rheostat located in a shunt from the main circuit, a yoke, a hanger on the yoke, a beam fulcrumed on said hanger, contactfingers on the ends of said beam, Weight-attaching devices at the ends of said beam, and the electrical connections closed by the operation of said beam to regulate the voltage of a dynamo, substantially as specified.

5. The combination with a base, of a yoke mounted thereon, a fulcrumed beam supported by said yoke, Weight-pans suspended from the opposite ends of said beam, a plate suspended from one of the said pans into a liquid-containing vessel, and electrical c011- nections the circuit through which may be closed by the movements of the beam, substantially as specified.

(3. The combination, with a rheostat comprising an arm mounted on a rotary shaft, of a chain of gearing having a flexible connection with said shaft, a motor, the armatureshaft of which has operative connection with the chain of gearing, the said motor being in the circuit comprising the rheostat, a disk mounted on the armature-shaft of said m0- tor, a frictional shoe adapted for engagement with said disk, an electromagnet for drawing the shoe out of engagement with the disk, the said electromagnet being also included in the circuit comprising the rheostat, and means for automatically closing the circuit through said electromagnet and through the motor, substantially as specified.

7. A voltage-regulator for dynamos, comprising a base a yoke extended upward from said base, a fulcrumed beam supported by said yoke, arms extended upward from the base, mercury contacts on the upper ends of said arms, contact-fingers on the ends of said beam for engaging the said mercury contacts, a metal support on the base, a mercury-cup on said support, a finger extended from the central portion of the beam into said mercury cup, a helix located in a shunt of the circuit to be governed and serving to operate said beam, a rheostat com prised in a shunt-circuit of the circuit leading to a generator, a motor for operating said rheostat, and the electrical connections, substantially as specified.

THOMAS M. PUSEY. Witnesses:

JOHN G. WALTON, J. G. ROBINSON. 

